1. Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with a ski-binding, with a sole plate that is fastened to the ski by means of an, at least involuntarily, detachable safety locking device and on which, within the region of their two lateral edges, fastening members are pivoted. The fastening members having axes of rotation which run parallel to the longitudinal direction of the plate, and which are held together within the region of the arch of the foot, in the downhill-run position, by means of buckles or of similar devices, while the regions of toes and heels are left free by the fastening members.
The ski-shoe that appertains to the above, known ski-binding is a soft shoe which is held by means of the fastening members within the area extending from the fore-foot to the ankle region.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern skiing technique is, as a matter of fact, based on the awareness of the fact that the control movements of the ski must originate in the lower leg and reach the ski from there. p Accordingly, it has already been proposed that, by way of a further development of a ski binding of that type, e.g. additional fastening members be attached to the fastening members, in such a way that they may be rotated, and that they enclose the foot upward, beyond the ankle and into the region of the lower leg. But, in that case, there exists the disadvantage that only a very imperfectly form-locking enclosure of the foot which wears a soft inner shoe, is possible by means of said additional fastening members; there remains also a certain undesirable amount of mobility within the region of an ankle. Beyond that fact, the operating efficiency of the binding is snow and ice is not ensured at all times, due to the presence of the swiveling connections. Similar considerations apply to those attempts at solving the problem that provide stiffening members on the sole plate that hold the leg solely within the region of the fore-leg but not, at the same time, also within the region of the fore-foot.
For that reason, so-called "shell-shoes" ("Schalenschuhe") have been preferred up to this time; said shell-shoes have a rigid outer shell extending above the ankle by which shell the fore-foot is fixed more or less rigidly on the lower leg. That agrees, it is true, with the requirements of modern skiing technique, but it is practically impossible to walk with these shoes normally. That is the point where the present invention is brought into play, it has posed, as its problem, the creation of a ski-shoe that is coordinated with the ski-binding mentioned at the outset, and which makes it possible, on the one hand, to walk normally, but on the other hand, to ski in accordance with the aforementioned modern skiing technique.